


Ready Enough

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Series: Pride Month Ficlets 2K18 [15]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Coming Out, Gen, Pansexual!Claire, nobody in this is straight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 00:17:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15400776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Claire receives support from NotEnrique and comes out to Jim and Toby as pansexual.





	Ready Enough

Claire took a deep breath.She was going to do this.No, she _needed_ to do this.She _promised_ herself she would.She couldn’t keep this a secret any longer.Jim and Toby were her _friends_.They would understand.They would accept her.She took another deep breath.She could totally do this.She’d survived presentations in Señor Uhl’s class and those were loads harder than what she was about to do.Right?

“How you doin’, sis?You sure you want to go through with this coming out thing?”NotEnrique eyed her from his place on her bed.He absently chewed on the end of one of Enrique’s bottles.

He already knew.She’d told him ages ago.There weren’t really any secrets between them.They’d lived together for too long.Even now that they had Enrique back, NotEnrique had stuck around, and listened when she needed someone to talk things out with.His advice generally was unusual, but Claire appreciated it.

“I’m ready.”Claire offered an uncertain smile.“As I’ll ever be.I mean I don’t ever think I’ll be really _ready_ , but this is the closest I’ll ever get and I have to tell them at some point.Ok, I don’t have to, but we’re getting super close because of all this troll stuff and they trust me.I want to be able to trust them.I just—”

“Hold up there before you become a rambling mess.”NotEnrique stood and put his hands up to stop her from talking more.“If it all goes wrong with those two downstairs, I’ll sock ‘em in the eye for ya.”

Claire stared at him.“Really?You’d sock the _Trollhunter_ in the eye?”

“Hey, I’m a changelin’, so technically he ain’t _my_ Trollhunter.And you’re me sis.Family is somethin’ ya don’t mess with.”

“Thanks.”Claire sat down so NotEnrique could climb up on her shoulder to hitch a ride downstairs.“That means a lot.”She looked to the door.“I guess it’s time.”

“You can do it.”NotEnrique swatted her ear in an affectionate way, kind of like a cat would.

Downstairs, Jim and Toby were munching their way through a bowl of chips and guacamole on the couch.They stopped when they saw her, though.

“So, you wanted to tell us something?”Jim started.

Claire clasped her hands together.“Yeah, um, it’s really important.Well, to me it is.Like _really_ important.I, um, I…”Her heart beat faster.She couldn’t do this.Looking at their expectant faces, she knew she couldn’t do this.It was silly to even consider.It wasn’t _that_ important.They could just continue on like it was nothing.Nothing had to change.Nothing…

NotEnrique squeezed her shoulder.“Almost there, sis.You got this.Just gotta say the words.”He whispered in her ear.“If it helps, think of it like being onstage for one of your plays.”

Claire thought of _Romeo and Juliet_.Her heart settled down at remembering the good memories.She had this.She took a breath to collect herself, then spoke.

“The thing is, I’m pansexual.”Claire told her friends in a confident voice.“I have been since before I started hanging out with you guys.I just wasn’t certain about telling you until now.”She looked between the two boys, trying to figure out what was going through their heads by the expressions on their faces.

“Awesoooome sauce!”Toby sang.“None of us are straight!We’re like the three musketeers of not-straightness!”

“Tobes, chill.”Jim frowned at him.“This is a really important moment for Claire.”He turned to her.“We support you. And we’re happy that you’ve told us.And I just want you to know that I, um, well I care about you.A lot.”

Claire grinned at him.“Thanks.That means a lot to me.”

Jim grinned back.

“Sorry, got a bit carried away there.”Toby added.“But yeah, we totally love and support you 100%.”He gave her a double-thumbs up.“So, does this call for a group hug, cause I think it definitely calls for a group hug.”

NotEnrique jumped off Claire’s shoulder.“If you lot’s gonna be starting that mushy stuff, I’m outta here.”He looked to Claire and she nodded back at him.She was fine.“See ya later.”He jumped out the window.

“So,” Claire turned back to her two friends.“That group hugs sounds sort of nice.And Tobes, I definitely want to hear what puns you got.”She paused.“But mine are probably better.”

“If it’s a pun-off—joke off?—whatever off we’re having, it’ll be fun.Grab a seat, Claire, cause I got no plans and I can be here all night.”Toby moved so there was space between him and Jim.

“Yeah, he says that _now_ , but I always win.”Jim added.

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, yes I do.”

“Well tonight you’re going down, Jimbo.”

Claire settled between her friends, scooped up some guac with a chip, ate it, and relaxed.Coming out to Jim and Toby hadn’t gone quite like she’d expected, but it still felt good to finally have done it.

For the next hour, they joked around.Then stop and have a more serious talk about their identities and questions each of them had for each other.After that, they’d have to make more guacamole because they ran out.Or Claire and Jim made the guac while Toby claimed the role of “taste-tester”.

All around, it was a good night.

 


End file.
